Tire-chain coupling



May 6, 1924.-

A. J. SKAFF TIRE CHAIN COUPLING Filed May 7, 1923 INVENTOR. A. .S/r/IFF,

BY wfmuw 5 ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 6, 1924.,

oarsv STA ALBERT J. SKAFF, or isnnnsronn, soo'rrr nax o'ra;

TIRE-CHAIN COUPLING.

Application filed may 7, 1928. Serial No. 637,297.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, ALBERT J. SKAFF, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Beresford, in the county of Union and State of SouthDakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire- ChainCouplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the production of an improved and yetsimple and inexpensive tire-chain coupling which is readily. coupled anduncoupled yet secure and dependable against accidental uncoupling.

These objects and advantages I successfully attain in the embodimenthereinafter described, defined in the appended claims and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings which form a part of this application and inwhich like characters of reference indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.l.

I have represented at 4 and 5, the end portions of the usual anti-skidtire-chain, the coupling device of my invention being interposedtherebetween and consisting preferably of a body part, 6, formed at oneend with a hook, 7, engageable with the end, 4, of the chain. The otherend portion of the body part is preferably reduced in thickness, andcomprises a flatplate, 8, having a longitudinal slot, 9, through whichprojects a transverse pin, 10, having fixed to its end portions the end,5, of the tire-chain.

Between the plate, 8, and the hook, 7, the body part is provided withspaced upwardly-projecting bearing ears, 11, between which is fulcrumed,as at 12, a latch-member, one end portion thereof comprising a tongue,13, normally engaged in a recess, 14, in the inner side of the hook, 7,to prevent displacement of the chain end, 4:, therefrom; and movabledownwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, to permit the coupling to be unhookedfrom the chain. Below the tongue, 13, a leaf-spring, 15, secured to thebody part, 6, may be provided to hold the latch-member yieldably closed.The other end portion of the latch member is bifurcated to freelyreceive the plate, 8, and its arms, 16, are formed with hooks, 17,normally so engaged with the pin, 10, as to prevent movement of thelatch-member from its normally closed position.

Obviously, the chains are drawn sufliciently tight around the tire tocreate sufficient tension to hold the pin, 10, against movement from theend of the slot, 9, and

limited to such specific construction for various alternations andmodifications may be made in the details of construction and arrangementof parts herein disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims, to-wit:

LA tire-chain coupling embodying a body part having a hook at one endengageable with one end of a tire chain, the other end of the body partbeing slotted longitudinally, a pin projecting through theslot and fixedto the other end of the chain, a latch member pivoted at a point betweenthe hook and slot and having at one end a tongue normally closing thehook and the other end being hooked, normally engaged with the pin, anddisengageable therefrom by movement of the pin in the direction of thehooked end of the body part the parts being so arranged that the pinmust be retracted beyond the path of movement of the point of the hookin order to allow movement of the tongue.

2. A tire-chain coupling embodying a flat body part having a hook at oneend engageable with one end of a tire chain, the other end being slottedlongitudinally, a pin pr0- jecting through the slot and having its endportions fixed to the other end of the tirechain, and a latch memberpivoted at a point between the hook and slot, and having at one end atongue normally closing the hook, the other end being formed 'yvith aparts being so arranged that the pin must pair of iiooks disposed,respectively, on opbe retracted beyond the path of movement posite sidesof the body pa-rt norInaHy enof the point of the hook in order to allow10 gaged with the pin to prevent movement movement of the tongue. 1 ,7

6 oithe latch-member and disengageable from r In testimony whereof, Ihave hereunto the pin by movement ofthe pinin the direcset my hand this30th day of April, 1923. tion of the hooked end of the body part theALBERT J. SKAFF.

